England head coach Sarina Wiegman has left high-profile duo Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly out of her Lionesses squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Greece, warning that their recent performances fell short of expectations.
Both players have been core members of Wiegman's squad since the Dutch manager took charge in September 2020. Their omission marks a major surprise for England supporters ahead of the two-legged World Cup semi-final qualifying tie.
Wiegman confirmed she had spoken directly to both players about the decision. "The main reason is that I think the levels weren't what I expect from them on the pitch," Wiegman said. "I've had a conversation with them. There's big competition going on too."
The England boss also dismissed reports suggesting Kelly was omitted due to a physical issue. Addressing claims that the winger had been dealing with a hamstring injury, Wiegman insisted: "It's just what I saw on the pitch. We kept it to football."
Kelly has found playing time limited since joining Arsenal, starting only one of the club's opening four Women's Super League fixtures this season. Wiegman previously left the forward out of her squad in February 2025 following a lack of minutes at her former club, Manchester City.
Kelly, who plays as a winger, has been one of England's most dependable attack options under Wiegman. She is best known for scoring the extra-time winning goal against Germany in the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final at Wembley Stadium.
Selection struggles at Manchester United
Toone has also endured a difficult start to the domestic season under new Manchester United manager Eva Olid. The attacking midfielder was dropped for United's match against Arsenal two weeks ago, before returning to the starting XI for their subsequent fixture against West Ham.
United suffered an unstable start to their league campaign, losing their opening two matches against London City Lionesses and Chelsea before recording a draw with Arsenal and a win against West Ham.
Asked if United's form had affected Toone, Wiegman said: "I don't know. Could be but I think there's some clubs that had a great start of the season, but I also look at how you execute your own football actions. At times it's complicated, but we have to focus on what I can control."
Toone has established herself as a cornerstone of England's midfield in recent years. The Manchester United player scored the opening goal in the Euro 2022 final and played a key role during the Lionesses' run to the FIFA Women's World Cup final in Australia in 2023.
In another notable exclusion ahead of the Greece tie, Wiegman has also left out Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones in a clear statement of intent regarding performance standards across her squad.
New call-ups and squad additions
While established stars miss out, Chelsea midfielder Lexi Potter has earned her first senior call-up to the Lionesses. Potter has impressed in midfield alongside England teammate Keira Walsh, starting three of Chelsea's four WSL matches this season and excelling in a 1-0 win over Arsenal last weekend.
Uncapped 18-year-old midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson has also been recalled to the England setup. Parkinson has impressed in the American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) since joining North Carolina Courage in July.
England face Greece in a two-legged World Cup semi-final qualifier later this month, with Wiegman demonstrating that reputation alone will not guarantee a spot in her squad.
